


Eddie Has A Breakdown And Richie Has... Cats?

by wickedwitchcraft



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Eddie Kaspbrak Lives, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Richie has cats guys! what a nerd, Richie is tired, Worried Eddie, bev loves her boys so much okay, eddie is in a panic, she knows all and tells nothing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-09 00:23:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20985743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedwitchcraft/pseuds/wickedwitchcraft
Summary: Eddie is alive. Richie saved him and then he went home to his wife. But now he can't stop thinking about Richie. So he does the obvious thing, he leaves his wife and goes to Richie.





	Eddie Has A Breakdown And Richie Has... Cats?

**Author's Note:**

> okay so its late here, i am so very tired. but here is this. I haven't written them before so i hope its okay. i know some parts are weird for them but its intentional. i promise! and for those of you who like, read things like you're saying them, there are some long ranting panicky paragraphs at the end so take deep breaths!!! aside from that i hope you enjoy!!! <3

It had been strange, coming back to Derry. It had been strange seeing everyone, all of them so different now and yet somehow the same. It had been strange having memories slam back into his head after 27 years of not even remembering a whole fucking town. It had been strange climbing down into the sewers again, and fighting a fucking clown. It had been strange watching Richie get caught in the deadlights and running forward to save him. And he _had_ saved him. And even the look Richie gave him in that moment had been strange. Richie launching himself forward and rolling them both to the side just in time, had also been strange, like he’d seen it coming. And Eddie guessed, considering what Bev had gone through all those years outside of Derry, dreaming about them all dying, maybe he _had_ seen it coming. But unlike Eddie in the house on Neibolt, Richie hadn’t frozen. He’d acted just in time and saved him. Maybe saved them both.

But the strangest thing, and Eddie was having a hard time rationalizing this in his head, was watching Richie take a shot using only his mouth. Richie taking the shot wasn’t really the strange thing, Richie did… most things, with only his mouth. He did everything with his mouth. His mouth never stopped fucking moving. No, the strangeness came from the feeling that shot through Eddie as he watched his friend’s lips wrap around the small glass, and the way his neck looked when he’d thrown his head back to down it. Even the dumb look on his face as he struggling with the taste and the sharpness of it as it went down his throat did something to him. Eddie had blinked and looked away quickly, the feeling in his chest moving through him in a way he’d never felt before. Not that he could remember anyway.

He’d gone home. After everything. Gone back to Myra. And he’d _tried_. He’d tried _so hard_ to make it work. To be with her like he had been before. But every time he looked at her, or listened to her chatting to her friends on the phone, or telling him to take his meds, and wash his hands, and take care of this and that and everything else, all he could see was his mother. And he could hear Richie’s dumb voice in his head laughing at him. Asking if he’d really gotten married. And then asking in disbelief if it was woman he’d married.

And Eddie knew he’d been joking. He was always joking. But the Richie in his head often got cruel. And Eddie knew too, that that was because the Richie in his head wasn’t Richie, it was him, using Richie’s voice because no matter how many times he told himself something, things just never seemed to click. And his Richie, the real Richie, had never, and would never, be cruel to him. But he’d listen to Richie. Even it was begrudgingly. 

So, he listened to Richie’s voice in his head, for months, until the voice was screaming at him to leave. To get out. To get away from her. Telling him this wasn’t were he was supposed to be. Not anymore. Maybe before he’d gone back to Derry. But now, he remembered everything. And that voice in his head was screaming at him every time Myra wiped at a “smudge” on his face with her spit, “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE!?!?! GET THE FUCK OUT!”

And, eventually, almost a year later, Eddie listened. He filed for divorce. And he left her. He left one day when she was at work. Knowing he was being a coward for not doing it in person. But he knew she’d make him stay. She’d start crying and yelling and making him feel guilty for things that weren’t’ even actually his fault. And he couldn’t stay here. He had to leave. And he did. He left, made sure his credit cards were in his name and not hers so she couldn’t stop him after he’d left, and he’d run away.

He called Richie 4 times and got no answer. He’d left message after message and got nothing. So he called Bev and Ben. Bev answered the second call, sounding out of breath and laughing.

“Hey sweetie! Sorry I missed the first one we were bringing in the groceries.” She laughed again and Eddie heard Ben laugh in the background too. She sounded happy. Really happy. Eddie’s chest ached for that feeling.

“No it’s okay. Hey have you guys heard from Richie recently?” he was going to stop there, trying to sound casual, but there was worry crawling up his spine and he couldn’t stop his mouth from saying more.

“He hasn’t been answering my calls. I called him like 4 times. He won’t answer.” He knew he sounded a bit frantic. But there was… a lot going on in his head right now and Richie’s voice in his head had been fading over the last few days and he needed to hear him. Needed him back. Bev made a thoughtful noise on the other end of the line.

“I haven’t talked to him in awhile no. Ben!” she had clearly pulled the phone away from her mouth to call to her husband. Eddie pulled the car over, his heart pounding in his chest unreasonably, he shouldn’t be driving right now. Not driving _and_ on the phone. Too risky, far too risky.

“Have you heard from Richie recently?” Eddie could barely hear Ben answer her, his voice deep and fuzzy in the background. Eddie tapped his fingers wildly on the steering wheel as he waited.

“Sorry hon, he hasn’t heard from him either. You want us to try and call him? See if he’ll answer for us?” She sounded a little worried, but not nearly as worried as Eddie felt, his skin was covered in a cold sweat.

“Why would he answer for you and not me?” he was suddenly defensive. His stomach sinking as he tried to push out the very obvious reason that Richie wouldn’t answer for him. Because he couldn’t think about that right now. There was already too much happening. He’d left his wife. He was alone. He had childhood memories swimming around in his head that had been gone for 27 years. And the image of his best friend doing a shot had somehow burned itself onto his brain and he just couldn’t think about any reason why Richie would ignore him. Not after everything that had happened.

“Oh Eddie, you know Richie, he’s weird. Who knows why he does what he does.” Ben’s voice was full of sympathy, but he was clearing trying to cover how Bev had slipped up. Because she _had_ slipped up. Eddie could hear it in her voice as she’d said, he’d heard her gasp. And in his head he could see her covering her mouth. He could see her eyes pleading with Ben to come help her get out of this.

“Yeah. Yeah I guess so. That’d be good thanks. I’m gonna keep driving now. Just uh… just call me back if you get ahold of him okay?” the sadness in his voice was clear now. And he hated it.

“Of course!” it was Bev’s voice again,

“We’ll take turns calling him until he answers. Even if it takes all night.” Her words were always so genuine. She cared so much about all of them. Eddie smiled to himself and made a note to himself to call her more often.

“And please don’t be so worried hon, he’s probably just real busy. I’m sure everything’s alright.” The worry in Eddie’s stomach did actually calm a bit. She was probably right.

“Yeah. Probably. I’ll talk to you later Bev. Bye.”

“Bye sweetie.”

Eddie heard the phone click and took a few deep breathes before pulling back onto the empty road.

He drove for hours. Stopping twice for gas. And got no calls. His hands were shaking when he finally stopped to get some sleep. He paid for the nicest place he could find off of the interstate, needing it to be the cleanest. He hated hotels; they were full of germs. He sat on the edge of the bed and did some fast math. He’d have to drive almost 30 more hours to get to L.A., he sighed and decided to just fly the rest of the way. He could make it to the nearest airport by noon tomorrow if he left soon enough.

He laid down, his eyes falling closed, and then jumped nearly a foot in the air when his phone rang next to his ear. He grabbed the phone, it slipped in his hand and he fumbled with it for what seemed like an hour before he managed to get a good hold on it and pick it up.

“Hello? Did he answer you guys?” Eddie’s voice squeaked into the phone and he felt his cheeks flush.

“He… yeah. It took us awhile to get him to answer but he finally picked up. I just got off the phone with him.” She sounded hesitant. Eddie gulped, the worry slithering back over his skin like a snake.

“Is he- is he okay?” He sounded annoyed; he knew that. But Bev had spoken to him. She’d heard his voice. And now she sounded strange on the phone.

“Yeah he’s fine. I think. He was a little drunk. And it’s hard to tell sometimes when he’s drunk. But yeah, I think, for the most part he’s okay. Are you… are you going to see him? Is that why you were trying to get ahold of him?” he could see her pacing across the floor in his head.

“I-“ he froze, he didn’t really want to tell her that he was going to see Richie. For some reason he didn’t want them to know that. But he knew she’d know if he was lying. She must have sensed his hesitation because she spoke before he could answer her.

“Because if you were, I think that’d probably be a good idea. He sounded… I don’t know. Like I said he was drunk. But I know he canceled the rest of his tour. And now he’s at home, getting drunk, on a Tuesday. So just, it might be good. If you wanted to go see him. Ya know, just to check in.” Eddie sighed, he could never thank her enough for the amount of outs she’d given him. She was so good at reading people, even through the phone it seemed, and she never wanted any of her friend to be uncomfortable so she was constantly giving them ways to not have to admit to things they were trying to hide. Derry had been full of secrets and she’d never asked any of them for a single one.

“Yeah. Yeah I could do that. Just check in.” he was nodding, knowing she couldn’t see it, but he couldn’t stop. He was trying to convince himself that that’s all he was doing. Going to check on a friend in need. Despite the fact that he himself was the one who needed help.

“I think that’d be good. For both of you. Hon I’m sorry I can’t talk more but me and Ben have to be up early in the morning. But call me back when you get there okay? Let me know you’re both alright?”

“I will Bev. And Bev?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

He heard her huff a laugh.

“You’re most welcome. Talk to you soon. Love you Eddie.”

“Love you too.”

He set his phone down gently. Staring at the bright screen until it shut off, leaving him in the darkness of his hotel room. He sighed and closed his eyes, willing his dreams to be normal. Just this once.

~*~

The flight to L.A. had been hell. There was man sitting behind him coughing the whole way, and if Eddie got some kind of disease from flying out to see Richie Fucking Tozier he was gonna kill someone. He ran straight to the bathroom in the airport and washed his hands, several times, before trying his best to calmly walk out to the pick-up area. The cab that picked him was actually pretty clean. Cleaner than he’d expected and the driver was a very nice man who kept telling about all the sights he could see. Eddie felt a bit bad for drifting off and ignoring him most of the way so he gave him a big tip when he dropped him outside of Richie’s building.

He turned and looked up, about half the windows in the building were dark. He wasn’t sure which, if any of them, were Richie’s. He sighed and walked up the stoop to the list of names by the door. He pressed the button next to “Tozier” several times. And got no answer. He huffed. He was gonna get stuck out here like a jackass. He looked over his shoulder, saw no one, and started pressing all the buttons. No one said anything but someone eventually hit the buzzer and Eddie jumped at the door and almost fell inside.

He found Richie’s door and stood outside for a moment, staring at the number, not sure what the hell he was supposed to fucking say. Was he really supposed to just smile at Richie and say hey pal, I divorced my wife, left her the house and came out here with all I have left to my name, oh and I can’t get the image of you doing shots like a whore out of my head so here I am please let me in. Eddie had a feeling that wouldn’t really cut it.

He sighed and knocked twice.

No answer.

He knocked again.

Nothing.

“Oh fuck you.” He muttered, and started pounding on the door.

“Richie! Open the fucking door! Bev told me you canceled all your shows I know you’re in there, you fucker.” He pounded his hand against the door a few more times and still got no answer.

“Richie, I swear to god. If you make me stand out here much longer I’m gonna fucking climb in through your window and punch you in the fucking throat asshole!” he was trying not yell, it was a bit late and he didn’t want to get in trouble with the neighbors. He smacked the door seven times in quick succession and then huffed grumpily when he still got no answer.

“That’s not much of an incentive for me to let you in Ed’s, I’ll be honest.”

Eddie almost jumped out of his skin. He glared at the door for a moment.

“Over here asshole.” Richie’s voice came from down the hall to his left. Eddie turned his head fast, his neck popped loudly. Richie raised his eyebrows at him and held his hand up in an awkward greeting.

“Hi.” Eddie felt like a dumbass. He’d just been yelling at Richie’s door. Richie walked forward slowly. The plastic bag in his hand rattling as he walked. He dug his keys out of his pocket and stood looking at Eddie for a moment.

“I can’t let you in if you don’t move and let me unlock the door dude.” He sounded tired. And Eddie was sure he was avoiding looking at him. Eddie startled and shuffled backwards a few steps. Richie shoved his key in the door and turned it, pushing the door open he turned and eyed Eddie’s two suitcases sitting in the hall.

“You moving in?” he asked, pushing his glasses up absentmindedly.

“I- you- no.” his voice was more defensive than he’d meant it to be. He watched Richie smile softly and shake his head.

“Oh right. Those are just your overnight bags.” He walked through the door and then stared back at Eddie. Eddie stared at him too. Richie’s eyes shifted around for a moment, his feet shuffling in place. He looked so uncomfortable. Eddie watched his mouth open and close a few times, his eyes seemed glued there, the dreams he’d been having not helping him pull his eyes away.

“So… you comin in, or are you just gonna sleep in the hallway? Cuz I should warn you some of my neighbors do some…gross things out here. Probably more sanitary to sleep on my bathroom floor and that’s… it’s sad is what it is.” He talked and talked and Eddie said nothing.

“Do you want me to close the door so you can yell at me to let you in again? I’ll open it this time I promise. I just couldn’t hear you yelling at me from the store down the street.” Eddie opened his mouth, and closed it, Richie raised his eyebrows at him again.

“I- you- what?” Eddie stammered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Are you coming in or what? You’re standing out there like you’re a vampire needing an invitation or something just come in man.” He sounded frustrated now. Eddie scrambled forward a few steps and Richie turned to walk further into his apartment.

“Your bags.” He called over his shoulder. Eddie spun around, almost fell, and grabbed his bags to drag them inside. He shut the door gently behind him once he struggled his bags through the door and sighed, locking the door and leaning against it. This was a fucking nightmare, it had to be.

“You’re not allergic to cats are you?” Richie’s voice asked from the kitchen. Eddie narrowed his eyes, sure he’d misheard him.

“What?” he turned from the door and walked a few steps into Richie’s place. He looked around quickly, it was nicer than he’d expected. Not huge, but not shoebox small. And it was surprisingly, cozy.

“Cats. Small animals with tails. They walk around saying meow all the time.” Richie deadpanned, walking out of the kitchen and handing Eddie a glass full of something clear.

“Oh, um, yes. Or maybe not. I don’t know anymore.” He answered, trying to discreetly smell what was in the cup Richie had given him as he walked back to the kitchen.

“It’s water dumbass.” Eddie startled, almost spilling it.

“I know! I was just making sure.” He took a sip, knowing he was acting weird, but he couldn’t fucking calm down. It felt weird being here. In Richie’s space. In Richie’s home.

“So you have a cat?” he asked, walking around a bit, looking out the window.

“I have two actually.” Eddie glanced into the kitchen, watching Richie put away the small amount of groceries he’d brought home. Eddie stared at Richie’s arm as he reached into the high cabinets, watching his shoulders move under his stupid leather jacket. Richie looked over said shoulder and directly at Eddie. He looked away quickly and walked to look through the books on the shelf along the wall.

“So where are they? Your cats.” Eddie called, moving his finger gently along the shelves, smiling to himself because most of the “bookshelves” were full of vinyl records.

“Probably hiding. Some asshole was pounding on my door earlier.” Eddie startled once again, Richie was close. He was standing at the edge of the shelf, holding his own glass of water, and watching Eddie. Eddie rubbed the back of his neck, Richie smiled at him.

“Sorry. I’ve been having… a rough few…days.” He screwed his face up and looked away. He’d been having a rough year, but he wasn’t gonna say that. It would have been too obvious.

“You can sit down ya know? You don’t have to pretend to be interested in all the junk I have in here.” Eddie glanced at Richie again, he’d lost the leather jacket, an ugly Hawaiian shirt now clearly visible, he had his free hand shoved in his jean pocket, and a strange look on his face.

“These are not junk. You have some good albums here dude.” He tapped the shelf with his finger but walked over to the couch to sit down anyway.

“Yeah. There’s some shitty ones in there too trust me.” Richie smiled and sat down on the couch across from Eddie. Why Richie needed two couches Eddie honestly couldn’t fucking guess.

“This couch is for the cats.” Richie said, pointing at the one he was sitting on.

“How did you-“

“It was in your eyes man, and honestly, no one who lives alone needs two couches, its fuckin weird.” He smiled and took a sip of his water, Eddie couldn’t shake the feeling that they were both full of awkward tension.

“Do you think I really scared them? I didn’t mean too. I didn’t know you had cats in here.” Eddie felt terrible. His stomach doing a flip at the thought of scaring two small animals that Richie owned. And probably cared for deeply. Richie snorted at him.

“It’s fine. They’re assholes. I mean they’re great. But they’re assholes. All cats are. It’s why I get along with them so well. But no I’m sure they probably slept through it. I’ll get them out here hang on.” He pushed himself off the couch and did a weird little fast walk to the kitchen, Eddie had trouble keeping his eyes off of things they shouldn’t be on. Like Richie’s butt swaying back and forth at eye level.

He heard a package rattling as Richie came back into the room. He was holding a small bag of treats. He shook it a few times and looked down the hall, smiling when a small ‘thump’ came from one of the rooms. Eddie furrowed his brow when he realized Richie had a two-bedroom apartment.

“You have a two-bedroom apartment in L.A.?” he glanced at Richie, his fingers holding onto his glass of water tighter than they needed to be, his knuckles were going white. 

“Hm? Oh yeah, I lucked out big time. Rent control.” He said with a shrug and shook the bag again when no cats appeared.

“Come on you sleepy assholes, I heard you jump down off that bed.” He shook the bag again and whistled.

“Was that the peter pan whistle?”

“Yeah it’s weirdly the only one they like.”

Eddie looked down the hall again and saw a small black cat head peak around a doorway.

“Hey,” Richie’s voice was so soft, the softest Eddie had ever heard it, except for maybe back in the tunnels when Richie was talking Eddie down from a panic attack.

“It’s okay. He won’t hurt you. That’s just daddies friend Eddie. He’s alright. He might be allergic to you, we’re not sure, but he won’t hurt you. Come on precious. I’ve got goodies for you.” Richie slid down onto the floor, shaking the cat treat bag again. The little black cat stepped slowly out into the hall. Stopping to turn back to the door and meow. A second later a fluffy white cat stepped out of the door, pressing close to the black cat as they both began to walk down the hall toward them.

Eddie sat completely still as he watched them come closer. His heart doing all kind of strange things as he watched the cats come to Richie. The look on Richie’s face was something he’d never seen. He’d always only seen Richie being a smartass, hiding behind his mouth like a shield. But this was something new. This new, vulnerable Richie, was tugging at things inside Eddie that he’d been shoving down for years.

“Hey there you are. See, he’s not scary. He’s small like you.” Richie teases, bumping Eddie’s foot with his elbow.

“What are their names?” Eddie whispered, he didn’t want to scare them. Richie gave them each a few treats and then groaned as he pushed himself back up off the floor and onto the couch.

“The white fluff ball is Persephone. And the black slinky is Hades. Hades is a girl too. Thought she was a boy when I got her, turned out she wasn’t. Now I have lesbian cats who rule the underworld together. It’s very ideal for me. I enjoy it a lot.” Richie smiled when a laugh came out of Eddie of its own accord.

“Um… So Hades only has three legs.” Eddie said, pointing out the obvious.

“Yeah. And Persephone’s blind.” Richie nodded, finishing his water.

“She’s blind? What are you doing to these cats Rich?” Eddie asked, sounding frantic. Richie snorted.

“Hey man don’t look at me, they came like that.” He held up his hands and sank down on the couch a little. He looked tired again and Eddie suddenly felt very tired himself.

“So they’re rescues?” Eddie asked, trying his best to settle into his own couch and get comfortable. Richie gave a small tired smile and another nod.

Eddie didn’t know what else to say, so he stayed quiet. And joined Richie in watching the cats finish their treats and then start sniffing around Eddie’s bags, Hades walking ahead a few steps and then meowing back at Persephone so she could follow. Eddie smiled as he watched them work together as a unit. Hades leading her around with little nudges and noises. Eddie held his breathe when they made their way back to him and started sniffing his legs. Persephone rubbed on him for almost 5 minutes before walking away slowly and jumping up on the couch to sit with Richie. Eddie felt his stomach flip again as he watched Richie coo at her and pet her gently when she settled on his leg. Hades bumped Eddie’s leg once and then jumped up on his lap.

Eddie looked at Richie. Richie was watching them carefully, no doubt waiting to see if Eddie was going to break out in hives or something like his mother had always said he would. Eddie reached out and let Hades sniff his fingers, she rubbed her wet nose on him and then gently bit his finger a few times before walking over him and settling next to him on the couch. He smiled down at her and she meowed up at him loudly. Eddie looked at Richie.

“You have to pet her. Just rest your hand on her side. Or she’ll just keep screaming at you.” Richie answered, not looking at Eddie, his head was resting on the back of the couch, his eyes closed, his fingers moving gently deep in Persephone’s fur.

Eddie gently sat his hand on Hades side and watched her settled down and close her eyes. He looked from the cat back to Richie and suddenly felt the most comfortable he’d been since he’d left Derry a year ago.

“Why are you here Eds?”

Eddie tensed.

It was as if Richie had felt him finally get comfortable and had no choice but to open his mouth and ruin it. Eddie let his head fall back on the couch and squeezed his eyes shut until he saw stars.

“Eds?”

“Stop calling me that.” It was all he could think to say.

“No.”

Eddie’s eyes snapped open and he looked at Richie, Richie was looking at him. His face completely serious. No jokes at all in his eyes.

“No?” Eddie asked, slowly.

“Yeah. No.” Richie said, staring at him for only a moment longer and then letting his eyes fall closed, his head falling back again. Eddie gulped, looking at Richie’s neck, it looked just the way it had when he’s taken that shot.

“I left Moira.”

Eddie said nothing else. Waiting for Richie’s reaction to that huge news. But apparently it was only huge news to him.

“Yeah that was fairly obvious Eduardo.” His fingers had not stopped moving against the cat on his lap.

“It was? …it was. Yeah of course. Bev told you.” Eddie bit his lip. Richie opened his eyes again.

“Bev didn’t tell me anything. I don’t think. I don’t know. I was pretty drunk when she called. I guess she could have. But I don’t think so.” He was rubbing at temple, he looked unsure.

“Well then how was it obvious fuck face? You just assumed I left her?” Eddie knew his annoyance sounded forced, and it was, but he didn’t feel defensive. He felt tired.

“You brought suitcases. Two of them. And a carry-on bag.” Richie blinked at him.

“And you’re not wearing a wedding ring anymore.” Eddie watched Richie stare at his hand. He moved his thumb against the inside of his finger, he’d left the ring on the counter.

“So.” Richie pressed.

“What?”

Richie groaned.

“Oh my god. Why are you here Eddie?” his voice got loud for a moment and both cats flinched. Richie moved his hand and Persephone moved to the other end of the couch.

“I just- I-“ Eddie didn’t know how to say this. He didn’t even know what _this_ was. Richie took a deep breath and looked at him. He opened his palms on his thighs and he waited.

“Okay so, the thing is. I…” Eddie groaned and stood up slowly, peeling himself away from the cat lodged against him gently, he began to pace.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I was living with Myra and all I could think about was how she was my mother. And then I kept hearing _you_ in my head. And I kept fucking seeing you do that stupid fucking shot with just your mouth, you didn’t even fucking _touch_ the shot glass with your hands at _all_ Richie, who the fuck does shots that way?” his hands were flailing around him but he couldn’t stop moving.

“And then you wouldn’t answer your phone. And I kept calling and calling and your outgoing message is dumb by the way you should change it, it’s not funny. And I know that you think that it is but it’s not. And that’s not the point I’m trying to make I just…ugh!” he groaned and pulled at his hair. His feet still moving back and forth across the carpet.

“So yeah, I was thinking about you, and then I couldn’t _stop_ thinking about you. And you almost _died_ Richie. You got stuck in the deadlights and I just, I freaked out, I’ve never felt that scared in my life. And Bowers stabbed me in the fucking face. But seeing you there, I thought I lost you, that I was losing you. And I fucking saved you. _I_ did that. Me. And you had this look on your face. And then I think _you_ saved _my_ life. I think you saw something happen and then you saved me. And I don’t know _how_, but I know Bev saw stuff and the look in your eyes Rich I _know_ you saw something.” He wiped his hands on his jeans, and looked at Richie, pleading with him, for something, anything.

“And now I’m _here_. And you’re alive but you’re being weird, and _I’m_ being weird, and I don’t know _why_ we’re being weird. And I don’t know what’s going on, but you have cats. Fucking cats. That you fucking _rescued_ and that you fucking bought a fucking couch for them to sleep on and you have bookshelves full of records, records that we fucking used to listen to in your room on your bed when _your_ mom finally convinced _my_ mom to let me stay over. And I just don’t know what’s happening but I know that I needed to be here. With you.” He was almost hyperventilating now, and Richie’s fingers where digging into his knees as Eddie talked and talked and talked.

“So I got a on a fucking plane, and if I get sick from that guy behind me, he wouldn’t stop coughing Richie. They were like wet coughs and he just kept doing it, the whole fucking way, and if I get sick because I had to come see you, you are _so_ dead. But I did it. I came here. Because…because I kept having these dreams about you and that fucking shot glass and because I… had to. I- I needed to. There was never anywhere else that I would end up. I left Myra and I came here and now… I don’t know what to do.” He was running out of steam. He felt like he might cry, his throat was burning.

“I don’t know what to do Richie.” He sniffed and the tears started falling.

“What do I do?” he whispered, his head falling.

He stared at his shoes for what felt like forever. And then Richie’s socked feet were in front of his own shoes and when had he taken his shoes off?

“Hey.” His voice was soft again. Eddie sighed. He loved the sound of Richie’s voice when it did that. Didn’t think he’d ever get enough of it.

“Look at me Eds.” Eddie sniffed and shook his head. He heard Richie huff out a laugh. And then Richie’s fingers where under his chin, moving his head up gently. Eddie took a sharp breath, Richie was so close to him, and he looked like he was crying too, but that didn’t make any sense. Why would Richie be crying.

“You stay here. With me. Okay? That’s what you do.” Richie shrugged, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

“But I – Can I do that?” he bit his lip again and looked up at Richie, he watched Richie’s eyes fall to his mouth and then crawl back up his face.

“Yeah. You can do anything you want Eds.” His fingers moved from Eddie’s chin to brush the tears off his cheek, Eddie leaned into the touch and saw Richie’s breath catch.

“Anything I want?” Eddie echoed back at him. Richie swallowed hard and nodded.

“What if I want you?” he was whispering now, his hands shaking at his sides.

Something flashed in Richie’s eyes and Eddie gasped as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Eddie’s. Richie pulled back quickly, looking immediately apologetic. Eddie frowned and shook his head before grabbing the front of Richie’s shirt and pulling him back down. Richie made a small surprised noise and then he closed his eyes and hummed against Eddie mouth.

Richie’s hands were suddenly everywhere, Eddie felt a little light headed, he knew Richie was taller than him but his hands felt a lot bigger than they looked. Richie wrapped one arm around Eddie’s waist and pulled him close, as close as he could get him, his other hand curled around the back of Eddie’s neck, pulling him closer still. Eddie felt Richie’s tongue touch his teeth and he moaned against him, his hands moving to the back of Richie’s shirt and grabbing him, holding him as tight as he could. He was breathless in the best possible way but he needed air. He pulled back and smiled when Richie groaned at the loss.

27 years all shoved into one kiss was a little overwhelming but Richie managed it well. They stayed close, breathing against each other mouths, neither wanting to let go. Eddie moved his hands up and down Richie’s back, clawing at his shoulders just because he could, smiling against Richie’s mouth when he shivered against him. Richie moved back for only a second, looking at Eddie, tears in his eyes, and then he was kissing him again. Small kisses, lovingly pressed to Eddie’s skin. His cheeks, his nose, two to each temple, soft kisses to his eyelids, and finally finding his lips again with a sigh. He pulled back and rested their heads together. Eddie returned his sigh and moved his hands to Richie’s hips, keeping him close.

“Yeah I uh- I’ve kinda been yours for awhile ya know?” Richie said, sounding breathless. His eyes were still closed as Eddie looked up at him.

“I’m getting that.” Eddie whispered, pressing a small kiss to the corner of Richie’s mouth. Richie scrunched his nose up and nodded against Eddie.

“Can I really stay?” Richie opened his eyes finally, looking down at Eddie. His hand moved to Eddie’s cheek.

“You can say forever if you want. Or at least until you get tired of me.” Richie smiled at him, moving his thumb over Eddie’s bottom lip, making him shiver and press closer.

“Not gonna happen fuckface. You’re stuck with me now.” Eddie smiled when Richie dropped his head and laughed into his shoulder.

“Give it a month and we’ll see who’s stuck. Fuckface.” Richie mumbled into his shirt. Eddie smiled and sighed when Richie wrapped his arms around his waist and just held him there. Eddie grasped at Richie’s shoulder and held on as tightly as he could. Richie was holding onto him like he was afraid this was some kind of dream, like he was afraid he’d wake up any second and it would be a dream, and Eddie would be gone. The look Richie gave him when he’d been pulled from the deadlights flashed in Eddie’s mind and he thought maybe that’s exactly what Richie was thinking, his arms shaking as he held Eddie close.

“I’m here Rich, I’m not goin anywhere. I’m gonna stay right here, with you.” He moved his hands soothingly over Richie’s shoulders, feeling him choke on a sob. Eddie moved his hand over Richie’s hair.

“I’m here. You saved me Richie. You saved me.” He whispered, holding Richie tight. Pressing kisses into his shoulder and neck. Letting himself be held as long Richie needed. He felt something against his leg and smiled when he heard a small meow and felt another nudge against him. He closed his eyes and dropped his head on Richie’s shoulder, holding him tightly, finally feeling at home as Richie’s cats circled them, giving comfort the best they knew how.


End file.
